Memorabilia left outside of the Emanuel AME Church, photograph by Brandon Coffey, June 29, 2015, Charleston, South Carolina. Displayed by the Lowcountry Digital History Initiative.

Through photographs from a range of sources, this visual account reveals an overwhelming outpouring of emotion and grief for the victims, survivors, and their families, as well as powerful efforts in the weeks and months following the shooting to address racial injustice and violence.

Emanuel AME Church after the Young Preservationists’ event, photograph by Brittany Lavelle Tulla,July 8, 2015, Charleston, South Carolina.

With over two hundred photographs generously contributed by professional photographers, news outlets, and individuals on social media, this freely accessible online tribute highlights images of the memorabilia left by visitors to Mother Emanuel in the aftermath of the tragedy. These materials include flowers, letters, candles, and artwork as well as banners, posters, and boards covered in messages of support. The project also features images of the many prayer vigils, marches, and protests against symbols such as the Confederate flag that took place in the Charleston area and around the country following the shooting.

The pastor of Emanuel A.M.E. Church, Rev. Dr. Betty Deas Clark notes, “We see this online tribute as a healing and educational resource, for Mother Emanuel and the wider Charleston community.” The project has been highlighted by The College Today, Post and Courier, Charleston City Paper, and many other news outlets.

“A Tribute to the Mother Emanuel Church” is funded in part by the College of Charleston’s Race and Social Justice Initiative (RSJI), supported by a major grant from Google. The mission of RSJI is to promote public awareness and dialogue about race and social justice issues in the Charleston area, the state of South Carolina, and beyond, through a collaborative effort led by the Avery Research Center, Addlestone Library, the African American Studies Program, the Lowcountry Digital History Initiative, and multiple community partners. More information about RSJI can be found online: go.cofc.edu/rsji.

The Lowcountry Digital History Initiative (LDHI) is a digital public history project hosted by the Lowcountry Digital Library (LCDL) at the College of Charleston. In partnership with the Avery Research Center and the Carolina Lowcountry and Atlantic World Program, LDHI’s mission is to facilitate the development of projects that highlight underrepresented race, class, gender, and labor histories within the Lowcountry region and the historically interconnected Atlantic World.

Follow the Lowcountry Digital Library on Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr for updates and highlights from LCDL and LDHI.